The airplane impacted terrain at about 1030 Central time while on final approach. The student pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual conditions prevailed.
The student pilot was conducting a solo instructional flight in the airport traffic pattern. He had conducted three landings without incident and was approaching for a fourth landing when the accident occurred. The pilot’s flight instructor reported observing the initial three landings; however, there were no witnesses to the accident. The airplane impacted an open grass area about 50 feet short of the runway threshold and came to rest inverted. The pilot’s initial solo flight occurred the day before the accident; that flight consisted of one takeoff and landing.
